Robo-flower wilts as power burns

An electronic flower has been designed that blooms in tune to your household’s electricity conservation in real time.

The Wilting Flower: from standing proud to shrinking violet

The Wilting Flower wirelessly receives information from a transmitter that’s clipped onto your mains power supply. The flower then interprets this information and adapts its stance according to how much juice you're currently sucking up.

If you’re not using much, then the flower stands proud with its petals open and erect. But once the power begins flowing more freely it’ll start to shrivel, close its petals and glow first yellow then red.

Batteries not included...

However, if you’ve got the PlayStation 3, TV, lights, washing machine, dryer, PC and stereo all going then the flower glows purple and wilts over more severely, apparently to mimic a dying flower. Aww...

The Wilting Flower was designed by Carl Smith, a recent graduate from Loughborough University.